Nestable multi use floor protector apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention concerns a set of pads quickly interchangeable, which can fit to furniture or appliances. The set is composed of a round cup in which a textured rubber puck and a felt puck are inserted. These three elements can be arranged in such a manner to offer several functions: protection of floors against surface scratch due to furniture or appliances movement; slipping of furniture on hard and smooth surfaces or on carpet; anti-slipping on smooth surfaces, anti-vibration and sound proofing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of pads for furniture intended toprotect flooring against furniture and appliance movement, inresidential and industrial environments.

PRIOR ART

Our research among patents revealed some systems that caught ourattention:

CA 2107814—A floor protector that prevents damages caused by heavyobjects sitting or slipping on a floor surface and reduces effortsrequired for displacing such objects.

CA 1180518—A seat or isolating mount for supporting an object on asurface floor. The structure is composed of an elastomer-type coverwhich adapts to the floor. The base of the shaft can adapt laterally andangularly and allows an object to sit on the floor surface even if thissurface is irregular.

CA 2485555—A round furniture slide allows at least one movement of atleast one furniture, appliance and movable wall structure and as aprotective pad for floors; the apparatus is placed between suchfurniture, appliance and movable wall structure to be moved. Theapparatus is composed of a cup in which is deposed a compressiblematerial whose perimeter can adapt to the one of the cup and is gluedusing an adhesive.

CA 2278061—A glide assembly is constructed with a shell which includes acircumferential flange which is crimped around a base which includes animpact pad. The shell further includes the male portion of a ball jointwith a relatively small aperture at a central portion. A ferruleincludes a cup shaped portion for receiving a furniture leg. The base ofthe ferrule includes the female portion of a ball joint with arelatively large aperture at a central portion. A rivet swivelablyattaches the male portion of the ball joint from the shell to the femaleportion of the ball from the ferrule.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,744 The invention describes a rubber base on asurface floor for preventing slipping.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,925,766 The invention describes several elements forpreventing slipping.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,513 The invention describes multiple connectingboards which combine in a floor.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,560 The invention relates to an anti-fatigueflooring article having inherent properties of electrostaticdissipation.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,215 The invention describes a composite componenthaving at least one felt layer as reinforcement when used for crashand/or noise management applications and including one reinforcementfibre layer. The reinforcement layer may be formed into a preform whichis placed into a mould of suitable shape to form the component.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,160 The invention describes a method for delineatingzones on the surface of thermoplastic gratings.

OBJECTIVES AND ADVANTAGES

A general objective of this invention is the protection of floorsurfaces.

One of the objectives is the protection of floor surfaces againstscratches due to the movement of furniture and appliances successivelyover flooring such as linoleum, high-density wood, laminate, carpets,ceramic tiles or others.

A specific objective is to make easy the movement of furniture andappliances on the floors when moving from hard to soft surfaces.

Another specific objective is the anti-slipping of furniture orappliances against hard surfaces.

A further objective is the reduction of vibrations of appliances on afloor.

Another specific objective is the sound proofing, i.e. the noisereduction caused by movement of furniture such as the movement of thelegs of a chair.

Some of the objectives can look contradictory between them, but theinvention consists in the mixing of the three elements of a set forobtaining completely different functions. The element combinations aredescribed further in the text.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1A is a cross-section of three elements of the apparatus.

FIG. 1B is a section view of the elements of FIG.1 when joined.

FIG. 2A is an elevation view of one anti-slipping element.

FIG. 2B is a back view of the element of FIG.2A.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the element of FIG.2A.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of a felt element of FIG.1A.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of felt assembly under furniture.

FIG. 6 is a view of a combination of felt and anti-slipping elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1A shows the set of elements which constitute a nestable andmulti-use floor protector apparatus. A cup 24 is a container made of apredetermined solid material, of predetermined diameter and thickness.The cup possesses an outer surface 42 with a smooth texture in order toslip on irregular surfaces such as a carpet. The area of the surface 42with regard to the weight and volume of the object to be moveddetermines the easiness with which the object will be displaced. Theinner surface 44 of the cup allows nesting of the other elements of theset. The anti-slipping element 22, of predetermined thickness, iscomposed of an elastomer or rubber like material, or having similarproperties. Its diameter adapts to the one of the cup 24 and allows itsnesting within the inner surface 44. The textured surface 28 of theanti-slipping element 22 possesses a fine texture with embossment pointsallowing grabbing to fibres of the bottom felt surface 48 in order toenhance the skid resistance of the element, whereas a smooth surface 30is placed neither on the floor surface to be protected or on the innersurface 44 of the cup. The felt element 20 of a predetermined thicknessis composed of a material such as felt or another material having thesame slipping and sound proofing properties. Its diameter can adapt tothe one of the cup 2 4 and allows nesting within the inner surface 44.On the top surface 46 of the felt element, an adhesive material isinjected by pressure injection (see FIG.4), whereto is deposed aprotective film that can be removed as desired. This outer surface 46 ofthe felt element is auto-adhesive and can stick to furniture andappliances. The bottom surface 48 of the felt element 20 is smooth andallows slipping on hard surfaces.

FIG. 1B shows the nested apparatus 26 with the anti-slipping element 22which is deposed onto the inner surface 44 of the cup 24 and the feltelement 20 is placed on the top of the anti-slipping element 22; thiscombination of the three elements of the set offers different functionssuch as sound proofing, movement and anti-vibration on a surface such ascarpet. The top surface 46 of the felt element 20 is glued to a piece offurniture.

FIG. 2A shows a textured surface 28 of the anti-slipping element 22. Thetexture 32 is moulded on the textured surface 28 in order to allow thesticking to the felt element. A pattern composed of a series ofembossment points which penetrate the bottom surface 48 of the feltelement 20 allows a skid resistance between the two elements 20 and 22.

FIG. 2B shows the smooth surface 30 of the anti-slipping element 22.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the anti-slipping element 22 which hasa thickness 50 and a type of pattern being a moulded texture 32 formedof small embossed points.

FIG. 4 shows a fine coating of adhesive material 36 injected into thefelt 34 between a dotted line and a protective film 38 of the feltelement 20.

FIG. 5 shows the felt element 20 glued to the legs of furniture 40 whichallows the movement on hard surfaces and sound proofing.

FIG. 6 shows the felt element 20 glued to furniture 40 and under whichthe textured surface 28 of the anti-slipping element 22. Thus the smoothsurface 30 of the anti-slipping element 22 will be on the floor surface.The friction of the smooth surface of the anti-slipping element isgreater on a surface such as tile, linoleum or wood than the frictionresulting from the sole contact of the textured embossed points 32 ofthe surface 28.

In contrary, when the small embossed points of the moulded texture 32are in contact with a porous surface, such as felt, they encounter morefriction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a set of pads quickly interchangeable,which can adapt to furniture or appliances. The set is composed of around cup in which a textured rubber puck and a felt puck are inserted.This invention relates to the protection of floor surfaces againstscratches or wear due to movement of furniture or appliances. The set ofthree elements offers a quick adaptation of the nesting elements withoutadjustment of dimensions or thicknesses. The different elements of theset can be combined quickly and easily since all elements are simplylaid down one over the other. All the elements are reusable according tothe needs. The multi use characteristic of the set is a definiteadvantage; it can be used on smooth and irregular surfaces such ascarpet.

The efficiency of the set is based on the aspects of interchangeability, simplicity, rapidity and polyvalence.

The efficiency is also based on the quality of materials used for eachelement of the set; these elements have to be wear resistant. The setcan be composed of elements of any geometry for adaptation to shape offurniture or appliances, according to the geometry of their supportingelements.

APPLICATIONS

A nestable and multi use floor protector apparatus 26 comprising:

(a) a cup 2.4 having the shape of a container having a perimeter and athickness and being of a solid material, the cup comprising an outersurface 42 having a smooth texture for slipping on a surface such asthat of a carpet and an inner surface 44 used for receiving otherelements of the apparatus;

(b) an anti-slipping element 22, of a solid material, having a perimetercompatible with that of the cup 24 and having a smooth surface 30 on oneside and a textured surface 28 on the other side;

(c) a felt element 20, having a perimeter compatible with the cup 24 andhaving a thickness of raw felt 34 between a bottom 48 and a top feltsurfaces 46, the felt element composed of a material comprising fibresallowing slipping of the element on a hard floor surface and whichadapts to the anti-slipping element 22, the felt element attached to oneof the support or leg of furniture with an adhesive material which hasbeen deposited on the felt. The anti-slipping element is composed of ananti-slipping material (ex. elastomer material such as TPR or othersimilar materials), which can adapt to the inner surface 44 of the cup24 in order to provide a protection and an anti-slipping property over ahard floor surface, the perimeter of the anti-slipping element beingadapted to the other elements for nesting in the cup.

The felt element 20 is attached to a support or leg of furniture usingan adhesive previously deposited on the felt.

The adhesive is a type previously injected in the felt element 20 andapplied against the leg.

The adhesive is replaced by attachment means coming from a groupcomprising a Velcro™ type material, a nail or a screw. The felt element20 is held in place under a leg of furniture or under furniture or anappliance with the help of the Velcro™ type material of which one sideis attached to the furniture and the other side is attached to the feltelement 20.

The attachment means is a nail which passes through the felt elementinto the furniture wood leg or a screw which can be directly screwedinto the felt element in the furniture wood leg, the felt element beingintended to be combined to the anti-slipping element 22 and/or to thecup 24.

The cup 24 possesses a perimeter with a rounded edge of contact with thefloor to ease slipping of the cup 24 on a floor surface havingirregularities, the edge of contact being generally circular.

Other materials may also prove to be advantageous to use in certainapplications.

It is to be clearly understood that the instant description withreference to the annexed drawing is made in an indicative manner andthat the preferred embodiments described herein are meant in no way tolimit further embodiments realizable within the scope of the invention.The matter which is claimed as being inventive and new is limited onlyby the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

20—Felt element

22—Anti-slipping element

24—Cup

26—Nestable and multi use floor protector apparatus

28—Textured surface

30—Smooth surface

32—Moulded texture

34—Raw felt

36—Injected adhesive material

38—Protective film

40—Furniture

42—Outer cup surface

44—Inner cup surface

46—Top felt surface

48—Bottom felt surface

50—Thickness

1. A nestable and multi use floor protector apparatus (26), saidapparatus comprising: (a) a cup (24) having the shape of a containerhaving a perimeter and a thickness and composed of a solid material,said cup comprising an outer cup surface (42) having a smooth texturefor slipping on a surface such as that of a carpet and comprising aninner cup surface (44) used for receiving another element of saidapparatus; (b) an anti-slipping element (22) made of a semi rigidmaterial and having a perimeter compatible with said cup (24) and asmooth surface (30) on one side and a textured surface (28) on theother; (c) a felt element (20) having a perimeter compatible with saidcup (24) and having a thickness of felt (34) between a bottom (48) and atop surface (46), said bottom (48) comprising fibres allowing slippingwhen moved against a hard floor surface, said top surface (46)comprising an adhesive material for being attached to one support or legof furniture by adhesive means thereof.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said anti-slipping element is part of a group comprising anelastomer material such as TPR or other similar materials, which canadapt to said inner surface of said cup (24) in order to provide aprotection and an anti-vibration property on a hard floor surface, saidperimeter of said anti-slipping element being adaptable to anotherelement for nesting in said cup.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinsaid felt element (20) is attached to a support or leg of furnitureusing an adhesive previously injected into said felt element.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3 wherein said adhesive previously deposited on saidfelt is injected in said felt element.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3wherein said adhesive is replaced by an attachment means coming from agroup comprising a Velcro™ type material, a nail or a screw.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 5 wherein said felt element (20) is held in placeunder a leg of furniture or under furniture or an appliance by means ofa Velcro™ type material of which one side is attached to said furnitureand the other side is attached to said felt element.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 3 wherein said attachment means is a nail which can be nailedthrough said felt element in said furniture wood leg or a screw whichcan be directly screwed in said felt element, said felt element beingintended to be combined to said anti-slipping element (22) and/or tosaid cup (24).
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cup (24), saidanti-slipping element (22) and said felt element (20) have appropriatedimensions in order to nest and to combine in an interchangeable manner.9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said cup (24) possesses a perimeterof which the surface in contact with the floor is rounded in order toease slipping of said cup (24) against a floor surface havingirregularities.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said cup (24), saidanti-slipping element (22) and said felt element (20) have apredetermined perimeter generally circular.